Restaurateur sells namesake eatery after 40 years in the biz

By Paul StephenPaul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com

Sunday

Jan 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM

If you plan on dropping by Katy's Grill & Bar to chat up the namesake founder, don't bother.

If you plan on dropping by Katy's Grill & Bar to chat up the namesake founder, don't bother. Katy Monaghan is probably hanging out with Bella.After 40 years helming some of the area's most beloved eateries, she's bowed out of the food service industry, selling the business on Dec. 18. Within days, she found a new project to occupy her time and considerable stamina. Short for Isabella, "Bella" is her 1972 Serro Scotty Sportsman camper, a pale blue, gold and white road warrior she's restoring this winter with the intent of spending some well-earned freedom basking in the Florida Keys. No more dirty dishes, tardy employees or long hours. "The thing about retirement, you don't have to worry. But I've got to do something because I'm high energy," she said. "The key is to stay focused. It's really good I found this camper."A life in restaurantsBorn in 1949 and hailing from Winter Haven, Fla., Monaghan, the daughter of a citrus grower turned industrial plant manager, moved to the area in 1966, just in time to begin her sophomore year at New Hanover High School. Then known as Kathy Dean, it wasn't long before she landed a job at Wrightsville Beach's Marina Restaurant.Monaghan held that job during the summer through her college years, and by 1973 was ready to strike out on her own.With her first husband, Buddy Wheelis, and business partner Paul Teachey, Monaghan moved into the old Jordan's Soda Shop at 6301 Oleander Drive, better known for the past few generations as the original Salt Works. Along the way, she opened the Pony Express, later rebadged Salt Works II, at 4001 Wrightsville Ave.She owned those businesses until 1980, when the travel bug bit hard. Monaghan spent two years bouncing around Hawaii and the West Indies before returning to the area. Needing a paycheck but reluctant to work for somebody else, she bought a Lawn Doctor franchise. "I realized I didn't like that," she said with a laugh. Within a year she'd return to restaurants.Katy's and CausewayKaty's Grill & Bar was born out of a former Saigon Sam's military surplus shop at 1054 S. College Road in 1983. A contraction of her first and maiden name ("K.D.'s"), the new spot marks a clear dividing line in Monaghan's identity. "Anybody that's known me more than 30 years calls me Kathy," she said. "When people walk into the restaurant and ask, ‘Is Kathy here,' they know it's a longtime friend."That stretch of South College Road was a drastically different place at the time. Katy's and Jimbo's Breakfast & Lunch House were the only places to grab a bite. Most everything else was still pine forest. Her early years in the new location were a struggle. "We couldn't even afford heat. We had portable kerosene heaters," she said. "Our rent was only $300 a month." Today, a similar restaurant space might lease for around $4,500 a month.The lean days were numbered, however. With the opening of Interstate 40, Katy's became an unshakable fixture in the local dining community. "That first year, they could not get in the door," she said. "Our business was just off the charts."While her roots were planted deep, Monaghan's restaurant was far from static. Originally just a burger and hotdog spot, Katy's was among the first in the area to add the now ubiquitous Buffalo-style wings to the menu. Seafood plates followed, and late-night shifts were added to keep up with the times and competition.By 1986, she had married Dave Monaghan and was ready for a new challenge. Not one to endure boredom, she opened the wildly popular breakfast spot Causeway Café at roughly the same spot of her first job's location. You may not know his name, but if you've ever been jarred into an adrenaline shock after hearing your name bellowed out when your table's ready, you know Dave's voice. Between Causeway in the mornings and Katy's at night, her workday could stretch from 4 a.m. until after 2 a.m. She kept a stake in Causeway until she divorced about three years ago. The high times rolled on at Katy's, which saw two weddings and at least twice as many proposals take place between the walls over the years. Monaghan said she's been blessed to work with a number of talented managers, including Jerry Allen Lachman, who joined the staff as a young dishwasher. He scrubbed his way up to bar manager over the course of six years, later opening his own namesake establishment at Wrightsville Beach.4 in 40It wasn't all a party. She's had two cars careen through the front wall, only one of which was an accident. Fortunately, the property was originally an auto shop, and the colliding vehicles had the decency to use the structurally sound former bay openings. Competition sprouted like weeds as the University of North Carolina Wilmington expanded. Thirty years takes its toll on buildings and people alike. "This past year's been a real struggle," she said. "I had thought for the last year that if I can make it past the 30-year anniversary, I'd put it up for sale. I had to make it to 30, and I honestly didn't know if I would." The 350-plus guests that attended her anniversary bash last April all stand as proof that she did cross the finish line. And despite being courted by investors looking at the parcel for other purposes, the distinctive sign bearing Monaghan's name will remain standing, with Lachman purchasing the establishment from his former mentor with business partner Kelly Baucom. He's keeping the name and staff intact, but making significant improvements to the property and merging the menu with his other eatery. "He is first class," Monaghan said. "He learned what I taught him and went way beyond that. I'm very optimistic and very supportive."Now that she's stepped away from the stove and has time to go out for a bite, Monaghan is thrilled to see the changes sweeping over the local restaurant scene. Previously dominated by chains and franchises, she said the future is full of smaller, owner-operated establishments driven by talented chefs and customers hungry for an independent voice. "Between the Landfall crowd, the Wrightsville Beach crowd and downtown, I think you have the money to support these finer restaurants, especially if they can keep prices that aren't exorbitant," she said.In the meantime, the only cooking she's planning on doing will be outside over a campfire. Best friends that began as customers decades ago are helping her renovate Bella. If they're lucky, she may even stick an extra hotdog or two on a stick for them. Just don't ask her to do the dishes. "I really love the restaurant business. You're never lonely," she said. "But after four restaurants in 40 years, I'm really pretty tired."

Paul Stephen: 343-2041On Twitter: @pauljstephen

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